Give Your Business a Boost with the FedEx Small Business Grant Contest

Inspiring small businesses are being recognized and rewarded every year. Share what inspired you and your core mission and you could be the next winner.

Entering its fifth year, the FedEx Small Business Grant Contest awards tens of thousands of dollars to passionate small business owners across the country.

Nicole Snow is the founder and CEO of Darn Good Yarn and the first grand prize winner of the FedEx Small Business Grant Contest. Her company sources and upcycles materials to create unique yarns and goods from all over the world, providing sustainable employment year round to hundreds of families in India and Nepal.

For her, winning was as simple as telling her unique story.

“At the time I was living in Maine and I had a really complex international supply chain,” she said. “When I entered the contest, I really just tried to tell my story. Many small businesses are created out of a significant life experience or something you want to change in the world — those are the kinds of stories people want to hear.”

Nicole received a $25,000 grant to invest and further grow her business. The quick infusion of cash helped grow her inventory and bring on additional staff, but she is quick to say there was value in the contest far beyond the grant money.

“Winning the grant was real validation that I was onto something,” Nicole said. “As a small business owner, you often have to be your own cheerleader, so when a company like FedEx gets behind you, it helps give you the confidence to go forward in full force with your business.”

Nicole recommends all small business owners enter the Grant Contest because there are benefits beyond winning a grant. The submission process can be invaluable.

“When you own a business, you’re in charge of everything. When you have to sit down and fill out an application and talk about what your mission is, it’s a great opportunity to rethink and realign what you’re really doing. It’s a great opportunity to reconnect with your core and your ethos and get it on paper.”

Ready to tell your story? The entry period for the FedEx Small Business Grant Contest runs from February 21 to March 29. Learn more and submit your story at fedex.com/grantcontest and you could win a $25,000 grant and $7,500 in FedEx Office® print and business services for your small business.